The Google Pixel Watch 2 is one of our favorite smartwatches because of its subtle but smart improvements over the first generation, like better battery life and a more accurate heart rate sensor. But now that we’re used to Google’s latest wearable, we can’t help but think about what could be in store for a future Pixel Watch 3. We’re likely still months away from any official confirmation of the Pixel Watch 3’s existence, let alone concrete information about its features. But rumors are starting to circulate, and we’ve got plenty of ways the Pixel Watch 3 could be better in mind. Here’s what we know about Google’s next wearable — and what we want from it.
Rumors and what we know so far
The Pixel Watch 2 is only a few months old, but we’re already starting to hear rumblings about the next generation. Our first substantial rumor came in mid-January: citing “a source familiar with the matter,” 9to5Google has reported that the Pixel Watch 3 will come in two sizes, addressing a major shortcoming with the first two generations.
9to5 didn’t initially offer details about what sizes we can expect to see, but it’s obvious a second size option would be larger than the first two Pixel Watch generations, each of which is 41mm wide. Given sizing options offered by Google’s competitors, we expected a larger Pixel Watch to come in at a size of 45 or 46mm.
A more recent leak bears that out: again by way of 9to5Google, we’ve heard the Pixel Watch 3 will be offered in 41 and 45mm sizes. That matches the sizes the Apple Watch Series 9 comes in, though we fully expect the third-gen Pixel Watch will keep the series’s established round shape.
That’s a promising bit of info, but it still leaves a lot to the imagination. Whether other shortcomings will be addressed remains to be seen.
Watch Unlock on the Pixel Watch 3 might be getting an UWB boost. Watch Unlock gives wearers the option to keep their paired Pixel phone unlocked while within range of their watch, so long as they don’t take it off. In existing Pixel Watches, Watch Unlock relies solely on Bluetooth. But 9to5Google spotted code in the Google Play Services app that references ActiveUnlock — the internal name for Watch Unlock — and UWB ranging.
UWB lets compatible devices sense position and proximity with much more accuracy than Bluetooth. That means an UWB-equipped Pixel Watch 3 could potentially use Watch Unlock to keep a Pixel phone unlocked only when the two devices are within a couple of feet of each other, so your phone locks if you leave it in another room and unlocks when you come back.
What we want
We still don’t know much about the Pixel Watch 3, and what we have heard to this point is based on rumors. Having used the first two Pixel Watch generations extensively, though, we’ve got plenty of hopes for the next generation. Here are the things we’d most like to see change in the Pixel Watch 3.
A design refresh
The Google Pixel Watch and the Google Pixel Watch 2 share the same distinctive look, with only minor details differentiating the two. It’s an eye-catching design. The domed display glass and pebble-like shape make for a watch that’s hard to mistake for anything else.
Striking as the look is, it’s also almost entirely unchanged between the first two Pixel Watch generations. The design is still unique, and the Pixel Watch 2 hardly looks dated. Still, for the Pixel Watch 3, we’d like to see more appreciable improvements to hardware design.
It would be great to see Google do something about that chunky display bezel. Google’s design language hides it well, but the watch’s screen-to-body ratio is lower than what you get with options like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. Smaller bezels, making for a display that covers more of the watch’s face, would be a design win in the Pixel Watch 3.
A brighter display
A refreshed design with smaller display bezels would be great, but the display inside those bezels could do with an update. The display on the Pixel Watch 2 looks nice. Still, with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, it’s out of step with what’s available on competing wearables. Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series and the Apple Watch Series 9 top out at 2,000 nits, affording them much better visibility in sunlight. If the Pixel Watch 3 wants to compete with other high-end wearable options, Google needs to step it up when it comes to display quality.
Two size options
Both generations of Pixel Watch are available in only one size, at 41mm. That’s a reasonable medium-small size, but Samsung and Apple offer their watches in multiple sizes. The Galaxy Watch 6 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, and the Apple Watch Series 9 is available in 41 or 45mm variants.
Google might need to get clever with its proprietary band mechanism to make it happen. The Pixel Watch 3 should be offered in a larger size, something in the neighborhood of 44mm. A bigger watch would provide better battery life and would appeal to people who feel the existing Pixel Watch 2 isn’t large enough.
If early-2024 rumors are to be believed, we might just get two sizes in the Pixel Watch 3 — fingers crossed.
Even better battery life
The original Pixel Watch offered disappointing battery life. With its always-on display active, the watch typically struggled to make it through an entire day and night of use. It had to be charged a couple of times a day to track sleep overnight reliably. Google made big improvements for the second generation. The Pixel Watch 2 has no trouble being away from a charger for a full 24 hours.
Even 24-hour battery life is just okay these days. It’s not unheard of to get 36 hours of use out of the smaller Galaxy Watch 6. Some watches make it two or three days before needing to top up. If Google wants to keep pace with the competition, the Pixel Watch 3 must last longer on a charge. Maybe 36 hours for the standard Watch 3 and 48 for a hypothetical 44mm model? We can dream.
Just keep the Fitbit charger
The Pixel Watch 2 uses a pin-based magnetic charger, a mildly controversial change from the original Pixel Watch’s wireless charging. It’s annoying that the two watches use different chargers. Switching standards again in the Pixel Watch 3 would be more grating.
The charger the Pixel Watch 2 ships with uses the same hardware as chargers from Fitbit’s Versa and Sense trackers, so there are plenty of Pixel Watch 2-compatible chargers floating around. Short of a compelling reason to change chargers again — vastly higher charging speeds, for example — future Pixel Watch models should keep the same charging standard for as long as possible. Asking customers to get new chargers with each new hardware generation isn’t a great look.
A Pixel Watch A-Series
Since the Pixel Watch 2 arrived on the scene, Google has offered the first-generation Pixel Watch as a less expensive alternative. As Google works to improve the existing Pixel Watch 2 for future flagship wearables, it would be interesting to see it refine the existing devices to create a more affordable, entry-level Pixel Watch device.
Google’s no stranger to this tack. Its budget-friendly offerings like the Pixel 7a and the Pixel Buds A-Series are stripped-back versions of more premium devices. Google should push the envelope with its flagship Pixel Watch 3. A watch with much of the first two generations’ DNA — something with big bezels around a 30Hz display, decent-but-not-great battery life, and a repurposed older chipset — would make perfect sense as a midrange Pixel Watch A-Series at $250 or less. And at that price, it’d be a great Android analog to the sub-flagship Apple Watch SE.
When will the Pixel Watch 3 be released?
Given Google’s wearable release cadence, we’re not likely to hear much official info about a potential Pixel Watch 3 until later this year. Assuming Google doesn’t change up its strategy, though, it’s likely the Pixel Watch 3 will be released in October of this year. The Pixel Watch was announced and released in October 2022, and the second generation in October 2023 — a pretty clear pattern.
Google Pixel 9: News, leaks, rumored price, and release window
Let’s look ahead at what Google has in store for its 2024 flagships
Both existing Pixel Watch generations retailed for $350 during their respective release windows, and we expect the Pixel Watch 3 will sport a similar price tag. If there is indeed a larger size option this year, it’ll undoubtedly be more expensive than the smaller model. For comparison’s sake, the 44mm Galaxy Watch 6 retails for $30 more than the smaller 40mm version. Pricing of $350 and $400 for the two sizes (with an optional upcharge for LTE connectivity, of course) seems plausible. But for now, that’s just an educated guess.
Ideally, we’ll know more about the Pixel Watch 3 soon. In the meantime, the Pixel Watch 2 is still a good option. If you have one, check out our top recommendations for screen protectors to keep it fresh and additional straps to customize its look and feel.
Google Pixel Watch 2
The Google Pixel Watch 2 is a striking, capable Wear OS watch. With all-day battery life, quick performance, and a gorgeous design, the Pixel Watch 2 is one of our favorites right now. Still, we can’t help but think about how the next generation could be even better.
